Behind the Spotlight (Jenna x Male Reader)

Chapter Nineteen: Midnight Misgivings

Chapter Nineteen: Midnight Misgivings

Jenna awoke with a start, a heavy, oppressive feeling sinking into her chest. She tried to calm herself, taking in the quiet of the trailer, but the stillness seemed almost too loud, amplifying her anxious thoughts. Glancing over at Y/N, she saw him deep in sleep, his face peaceful and unaware of the turmoil raging inside her. She didn't want to disturb him, knowing how hard they'd both been working. Maybe some fresh air would help clear her mind.

Silently, she slipped out of bed, grabbed her hoodie, and crept out of the trailer. The night air was cool, the distant hum of the city providing a steady backdrop to her unsettled thoughts. Jenna kept walking until she found a quiet, empty park nearby. She sat down on a bench beneath a streetlamp, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her chin on them. The quiet seemed to echo back her worries.

"Why can't I shake this feeling?" she whispered, almost as if the night might have an answer. "Everything's going so well... but what if it all falls apart? What if... I'm not good enough?"

She wrapped her arms tighter around herself, a shiver running through her—not just from the cold, but from the nagging insecurities she'd buried deep down. What if she was a fluke? What if everything she'd built came crashing down?

Her thoughts spiraled as she sat in the quiet, barely noticing the minutes ticking by.

Back at the trailer, Y/N woke up, instinctively reaching out to where Jenna should be. His hand landed on an empty sheet, cold to the touch. Frowning, he sat up, rubbing his eyes, and looked around. Jenna's jacket was missing from the hook, but there was no note, no message, nothing to indicate where she'd gone.

"Jenna?" he called softly, as if expecting her to answer from another room. Silence.

A ripple of unease ran through him. He quickly pulled on a sweatshirt, grabbed his phone, and stepped outside. The trailer park was dark and still, only the faint glow of streetlights casting long shadows across the empty space. He scanned the area, calling out her name again, a little louder this time. Still nothing. His heart began to pound, dread creeping up his spine.

He knocked on a neighboring trailer, where a few of their castmates were staying. Melissa answered, bleary-eyed and confused.

"Hey, have you seen Jenna?" Y/N asked, his voice strained.

Melissa shook her head, brows furrowing. "No, man. She was with you when we left the set... What's going on?"

"I can't find her. She's not in the trailer, and I don't know where she went," Y/N said, his concern deepening with each passing second.

They split up, each checking around the trailers, calling her name. A few other crew members joined the search, but there was no sign of her. Y/N's worry morphed into outright panic as he called her phone again, hearing it ring unanswered. Jenna had always been meticulous about answering, especially at night, but now... silence.

After what felt like hours, Y/N finally stumbled upon her hoodie left draped over the bench where she had been sitting earlier. His heart hammered in his chest as he frantically looked around, half-expecting her to appear any second, but the area was deserted. The sight of her jacket abandoned only made his anxiety spike higher. He tried to focus, willing himself to stay calm, but all he could think about was Jenna alone somewhere, possibly in distress.

It wasn't until he circled back toward the trailer park for the third time that he heard quiet footsteps. He turned quickly, spotting a familiar figure walking slowly, almost aimlessly, back toward their trailer. Jenna's head was bowed, her face pale and drawn, and it was clear she hadn't expected anyone to be waiting for her.

"Jenna!" Y/N called out, rushing over to her. The relief in his voice made her stop and look up, her face registering surprise at the intensity of his concern.

"Y/N..." she murmured, her voice quiet and raw.

He quickly closed the distance, wrapping her in his arms, unable to hide the relief washing over him. "Where were you? You scared me half to death."

Jenna leaned into him, feeling his warmth anchor her in the moment. She hadn't realized how long she'd been gone, how lost in her own head she'd become. "I... I just needed some air. I couldn't sleep, and everything felt... too much."

"Why didn't you wake me?" he asked gently, pulling back to study her face, seeing the turmoil lingering in her eyes.

"I didn't want to bother you. You were sleeping, and I just thought... I don't know. I thought I could handle it on my own," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

He sighed, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Jenna, you don't have to go through this alone. Whatever's going on, I'm here for you. Always."

A tear slipped down her cheek as she met his gaze, the weight of her fears finally loosening under his understanding. "I've just... been so scared lately. About everything. The pressure, the expectations, even... us. What if I'm not enough? What if I mess everything up?"

His hand moved to her cheek, wiping away the tear gently. "You don't have to be perfect, Jen. I love you just the way you are. And I'm not going anywhere."

She let out a shaky breath, nodding slowly. The words she hadn't been able to say all night finally fell from her lips. "Thank you. For finding me... and for being here."

Together, they made their way back to the trailer, Y/N keeping his arm around her the entire time. When they finally slipped back into bed, Jenna felt the tension leave her as he wrapped his arms around her, the world outside fading as she found comfort in his presence.

And as they drifted into sleep, she knew that whatever came next, she didn't have to face it alone.